160417 Jesus Took on Flesh and Blood

 Hebrews 2:14-18 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus did not just pretend to be a human. It is very important that we recognize his humanity. Throughout history, beginning in the very first century, there has been a heresy spread wide that Jesus was not fully man. To deny Jesus true humanity is to deny something at the very heart of Christianity. The apostle John said that such a denial is the spirit of antichrist (1 John 4:2-3). Beginning with this morning’s passage I would like us to look at several reasons why Jesus was fully man as well as fully God.

There are so many scriptural references to the fact that Jesus was human that we certainly will not have time to cover them all. The apostle John began his Gospel by stating that the Word, Jesus, became flesh, therefore he was human (John 1:14). Paul began his letter to the Romans by stating that Christ Jesus was descended from David, and was therefore human (Romans 1:8). Later, in chapter 8, verse three, the apostle talked about God sending his son in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3). In writing to the Galatians, Paul said that at the right time God sent his son born of a woman, therefore he was human (Galatians 4:4). In writing to the Philippians, Paul said that Jesus was born in the likeness of men, therefore he was human (Philippians 2:7). Luke tells us that Jesus increased in wisdom and  favor with God and man as a normal human child would (Luke 2:52).

Looking back we can see that…

Hebrews tells us he took on flesh and blood. Look at V 14. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

It was necessary for Jesus to become human by birth in order to be so related to us that he could pay the price for our sin. He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21). We are born dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1) and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The prince of the power of the air once held sway over every son and daughter of Adam and Eve (Ephesians 2:2). Jesus became human in order to destroy the power of Satan over the world.

Certainly, that was enough to call us to obedience to him yet there is much more to consider about Jesus’ humanity…

Jesus took our place in obedience to the Father. Beginning with Adam the human race became disobedient to God. Jesus became our representative to obey in our place. Romans 5:18-19 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. ¹⁹ For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Adam had failed and disobeyed God. Jesus’ temptation was defeated by Jesus’ obedience (Luke 4:1-13). Adam, on the other hand, was tested and failed in the beginning of human history (Genesis 2:15-3:7).

This is why Paul called Christ “the last Adam” (1 Chronicles 15:45) and called Adam the “first man” and Christ the “second man” (1 Corinthians 15:47). Jesus had to be a man in order to be our representative and obey on our behalf.

We should look with amazement at the idea that…

Jesus died to pay the penalty for us. Listen while I read 1 Peter 2:24. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

“The tree” is simply a term for the wooden cross. Jesus, having no sin of his own, took our sins in his body. Having done so he was beaten, stripped naked in front of the crowd, and nailed to the cross. He did this so that we could accept him as Lord and Savior. With that price paid for us we could die to sin and come alive to righteousness.

It’s such a petty misuse of Isaiah 53:5 to claim it only for physical healing. Our spiritual condition is far more important than our physical health. Sometimes God will allow us to suffer physically in order to show us how to focus on him. Peter, who certainly should have known, claimed that passage from Isaiah for our salvation not for our physical healing.

Job, in his agony, cried out for an arbiter who could stand between him and God, lay his hand on both and allow him to openly communicate with God (Job 9:33). Well…

Jesus was man and God in order to be our mediator. Listen while I read 1 Timothy 2:5-6. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

When Jesus accepted “the cup” in the Garden of Gethsemane he became sin for us! He gave himself as a ransom — paid the price of death for our sins — and became the person that Job had cried out for hundreds of years before. Jesus Christ eternally God and now forever man can stand between God and man as a mediator. Seated at the right hand of God, the man Christ Jesus, can plead on our behalf thereby defeating the power of Satan with his own sacrifice. Jesus took on flesh and blood in order to take our place in obedience to the Father; dying for our sin, becoming our mediator and speak on our behalf to God.

Jesus became a man to fulfill God’s original purpose. Let’s look at Genesis 1:26. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

In the very beginning God’s perfect plan involved Adam and Eve as obedient stewards of his creation. But instead of obeying God consistently Adam disobeyed and was separated from the garden. He had been given authority over everything on earth from the greatest whale to the tiniest insect. He abandoned all that! He believed the devil’s lie that the fruit God had denied him was good for food, a delight to the eyes and desirable to make one wise. Adam gave it all up and all his unborn children die as he bows down to Satan (Genesis 3:6). We could not follow the pattern of Adam. We were trapped by his sin. We needed a new role model to follow. Therefore…

Jesus is our example and pattern. Listen while I read 1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. ³ And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Earlier, John told us that “whoever says he abides in him all to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6). Now he reminds us that when he appears we shall be like him. If he is our pattern — and he certainly is — we should be compelled by our appreciation of his work in our lives to purify ourselves as he is pure. A large part of the Christian life is the work of the Holy Spirit in us changing us into Jesus’ likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). We should be constantly moving toward the goal of being conformed to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). Throughout our Christian life we are to run the race set before us “looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). The humanity of Jesus is essential because…

As a man, Jesus became our high priest. Let’s look again to Hebrews 4:14-16. Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Now we find the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the book of Hebrews. Affirming that we do have a great high priest and that high priest is Jesus, Son of God. This high priest is able to help us in our time of need. If Jesus had not been a man, he would not of been able to know by experience what we go through in our temptations — in our day-to-day struggles. Because he lived as a man, and suffered temptation, he understands experientially what we go through.

It’s important for us to remember that Jesus, as the second person in the Trinity, knew all the facts relevant to our suffering temptation long before he came to earth as a man.

Let me give you a faint example that might help us to understand why Jesus needed to be a man in order to be our faithful high priest. Many obstetricians are men and they might know a lot of facts about the process of birth. However, a woman who is an obstetrician who has herself had a baby would not only know the facts about the process of birth but would know by experience what childbirth felt like. In the same way Jesus is able to know by experience what it is like to be tempted.

Jesus, even though he had no sin of his own, was tempted in every respect as we are. So, when we are faced with temptation — and everyone is — need to remember that God is faithful and will not let us be tempted beyond our ability. With the temptation he will also provide the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). We just need to look for it and walk in. Now we come to what, for me, is the most amazing truth about Jesus’ becoming human.

Jesus permanently became a man while remaining God. After his resurrection Jesus met with his disciples, especially Thomas, to show them that he remained a man. Listen while I read Luke 24:39. See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

Later he ate food and for some 40 days spent time with his disciples. At one point he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time (1 Corinthians 15:5). Later, as he met with his disciples, he was taken up into heaven still in his resurrected human body. The angels who met with his disciples promised that he would return in the same way (Acts 1:11). When Stephen was martyred he saw Jesus as “the Son of Man” in his continued humanity. When he appeared to Paul he appeared as a man more than once. When John saw Jesus in his vision on the Isle of Patmos again he was “one like a son of man” (Revelation 1:13). Jesus had promised his disciples that he would one day drink wine with them in his Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29).

Jesus will continue forever as Prophet, Priest, and King. He is able to do this because he is both God and man forever. He did not temporarily become man. His divine nature was permanently united to his human nature and he lives forever not just as the eternal son of God but also as Jesus the man who was born of Mary, as Christ the Messiah and Savior of his people. (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, page 543)

We have looked at a few reasons why Jesus chose to become a man. For us, individually, he came to make propitiation for the sins of his people. The Bible says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Ephesians 2:1-10 tells us that before we met Jesus we were dead in trespasses and sins. We were in bondage to the devil but God loved us so much that he made us alive together with Christ. Salvation comes by grace through faith and that is a gift of God. I sincerely hope that you have accepted him as Lord and Savior.

All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

160410 Jesus, Made Lower Than the Angels

Hebrews 2:5-9 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. ⁶ It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? ⁷ You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, ⁸ putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. ⁹ But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

It is an awesome thought to consider the fact that Jesus was made lower than the angels. Especially awesome considering the fact that the Scriptures teach that one day Christian believers will judge the angels. If we’re going to be over the angels it is especially amazing that Christ Jesus was made lower than the angels. Having lowered himself God raised him up, gave him all authority in heaven and on earth, and God has put all things under his feet and made him the head over all things for the church (Ephesians 1:22)

We need to remember that…

It was not angels who were put in charge. Let’s look back to Hebrews 1:13-14. And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? ¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

Angels are certainly a part of creation. In all likelihood the angels were created before the universe. However, the Bible gives us very little information about the time of the creation of angels. We do know that there are many millions of angels and the angels have a responsibility for taking care of people. However…

It was the Son who was put in charge. Clearly we see in Hebrews 1:8 evidence of the authority given to Jesus.  But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

Jesus himself said that all authority in heaven and on earth was given to him by the Father (Matthew 28:18). Jesus’ death and resurrection brought about the power necessary to make him Lord of the dead and the living (Romans 14:9). Consequently, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). That authority given to him covers the Church, the world as it is now, hell, and the heavens! Clearly, it is taught throughout Scripture that…

There is a world to come. There are many passages of Scripture we can look at but let’s see what Peter had to say. 2 Peter 3:11-13 Since all these things (the world and all it contains) are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, ¹² waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! ¹³ But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

We need to remember, the truth taught in the old song by Jim Reeves: This World is not My Home. This world and all that’s in it will one day be dissolved. The coming world will be entirely different from the world we know now. If you want to read about it take the time this afternoon to look up Revelation chapter 21. Even then you will only know what human words can describe and not what it’s really all about. In order to achieve authority over this coming world…

Jesus emptied himself for us. Turn with me to Philippians 2:5-11. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

It is so hard to imagine! God the Son coming to earth by way of a human birth and then laying aside his divinity. After becoming a human who had to learn and grow. He was perfectly willing to humble himself not just to be man but also to be a servant of others and then be arrested, beaten and crucified. There is hardly any other way of execution that is so humiliating. To be stripped naked, beaten to within an inch of his life, and then being nailed to a cross, put up for the public to see while he died. Since he was willing to do this the Father not only raised him up from the dead but also raises his name above every name. Ultimately, every knee shall bow — everywhere: on earth, in heaven and in hell — and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

As a result of this bestowal of authority…

Jesus reigns at this time. This is not something that Jesus has to wait for. Several places in the Bible we see Jesus already ruling. Let’s see what Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Jesus began his ministry by announcing that the kingdom was near at hand (Mark 1:15). The time had come for him to begin the process that continues today. In the words of Isaac Watts, written nearly 300 years ago, “Jesus shall reign where’er the sun does it successive journeys run; his kingdom spread from shore to shore, till moons show wax and wane more.”

The Lord Jesus rules now by virtue of having delivered his blood to the altar in heaven and seated himself at the right hand of power. According to what we have just read he is going to continue to rule until he has put all his enemies under his feet. His authority will be fully recognized by people when Jesus returns to earth in power and great glory. On that day he will be proclaimed King of kings and Lord of lords to the glory of God the Father.

He achieved this authority because…

Jesus was obedient to the point of death. His obedience is shown before his crucifixion in his own words found in John 10:17-18. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

It’s interesting to hear the debate over whether the Holy Spirit or God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus stated specifically that he had the authority to lay down his own life and he had the authority to take it up again. Jesus died in his humanity but he lives forever in his divinity. And as the divine Son of God, Jesus rules over us and…

We are to be like him because we are his subjects. When he laid down his life he also laid down a pattern for us. Look at his own words in Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, ²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

As Jesus stated, in The Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20, he has been given all authority. Since he has been given the authority he gives it to us as well. We have the authority to make disciples as we go about our day-to-day activities. Jesus himself came among us to serve and to give his life as a ransom. While we cannot save anyone through our death we can imitate the Lord Jesus Christ by serving others. He lived his life as one having authority and he extends that authority to us as we bear witness of him.

When Saul of Tarsus was struck down on the Damascus Road a message was prepared to be given to him. A disciple named Aeneas was told to go to Saul, pray for him that he might be healed, and then tell him that Christ will show him how much he must suffer. Saul of Tarsus would become Paul the apostle and he learned that being called to follow Christ is not a picnic. Again we turn to the words of Isaac Watts. “Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?”

According to his own account, Paul was beaten five times by the Jews; three times he was beaten with rods; once he was stoned; he was shipwrecked three times and there were many other things that he suffered (2 Corinthians 11:24-29). If our Lord Jesus suffered and his apostles also…

We are to suffer like him for our spiritual growth. Turn to Romans 5:3-5. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Paul, writing to the Romans, and James the Lord’s brother, writing to the scattered church, had a very similar message. We should rejoice when we suffer! Actually I prefer to rejoice in good things that come into my life but the Lord teaches us that we are to suffer as he suffered.

And suffering, for the right reasons, is designed by God to produce endurance; endurance produces character; character produces hope and hope will keep us from being ashamed. James’ words are similar, “the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.… Let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4) So we are to rejoice, or “count it all joy” when we suffer for the kingdom sake.

We can take heart in the promise of Jesus that even though, “In the world you will have tribulation.… I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

I will close with a quote from John Piper. “I want you to leave this morning with this truth ringing in your heart: Jesus Christ is infinitely superior to angels. They were created not to compete with Christ, but to worship Christ and honor him. And the chief way that they do that on the earth is by serving us so that we hold fast to Christ and trust him and love him and treasure him and finally reach him in the fullness of our salvation. So angels were created for Christ's everlasting glory and for our everlasting joy—which, as you well know, are not contradictory aims. Because Christ is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”

All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.